


A Family

by VCCV



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-25
Updated: 2017-04-25
Packaged: 2018-10-23 18:38:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,131
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10724946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VCCV/pseuds/VCCV
Summary: Caught in a snowstorm with Lorne, Rodney learns more than he bargained for.





	A Family

**Author's Note:**

> Betas: jameschick sevfan idiasm

“This is wrong,” Rodney moaned under his breath. “Oh, so very wrong. I shouldn’t be here. You shouldn’t be here. Christ, nobody should be here. This place should only exist in Star Wars.” He finished setting the last stake into the crusty snow and moved on to the tarp. He fought the wind as it tried to snatch the tarp from his practically numb fingers. Finally, he managed to toss it over one side of the tent, and raced around to the other side to secure it before the wind sent it flying.

“This is ridiculous,” he muttered. “How the hell am I supposed to be the responsible one? I think I’ve proven time and time again that I can’t take care of myself, much less another human being.” He kicked more snow onto the edges of the tarp and tamped it down, silently sending a thank you to old Uncle Albie. He was an old coot who had routinely dragged Rodney and Jeannie out camping twice a year, once in the summer and once in the winter, but at least he’d instilled a vague notion of how to bunk down in a snowstorm.

Rodney was pretty sure the tent wasn’t going anywhere. He thought, given his options, that he’d chosen a perfect spot; the whirling snow was already drifting over the top of the tarp, providing more insulation. Satisfied with his work, he tossed their knapsacks into the tent, and then kicked a path back to the shelter of the tree where he’d left Major Lorne. Lorne was still resting exactly as Rodney had placed him, but he was willing enough to move when Rodney began nattering at him.

“Almost there, Major,” he grunted, practically dragging the uncoordinated larger man. “Come on, Major, left, right, left and all that.” Lorne made a heroic attempt to coordinate his legs, but his left and right refused to go in order. A particularly odd left, left combination sent him to his knees, dragging Rodney down with him.

“Sorry,” he said, practically panting.

“Yes, yes, fine,” Rodney grumbled, staggering back to his feet, dragging Lorne up with him. “I don’t know why you’re breathing hard, it’s not like you’re doing any of the work here.”

“I don’t know either.” Lorne gave a weak smile. “Maybe I’m breathless from your sparkling wit.”

“Ha ha, Major. Now shut up and walk. We’re almost there.”

“Almost where, McKay?” Lorne tried to synchronize walking with peering into the storm, and nearly sent them on another header into the snow.

“Quit swaggering around, damn it!” Rodney snapped. “Right there, in front of you. That big hump in the snow.” Lorne snickered quietly, and Rodney glared sideways as best he could. “What the hell is so funny, Major?”

“You said hump.” Lorne snickered again.

Rodney rolled his eyes. “Wonderful. I’m stuck on Hoth with an injured 12-year-old. Shut up, Major.”

Lorne pouted a bit. “Is this how you talk to Sheppard?”

“Actually, yes. It is. However, I’m hoping you’re a bit more malleable than he is. He never listens to me.” Lorne opened his mouth to respond, and Rodney dumped him onto his knees.

“Hey!” He slid sideways and would have fallen had Rodney not snatched his collar and held him upright.

“In here, Major. Casa de Last-Chance-Before-We-Freeze-To-Death awaits,” Rodney said, lifting what Lorne could now identify as a military issued tarp. He tried crawling inside, but only managed an inchworm imitation. Strangely enough, Rodney patiently waited for him to get all the way inside. He could feel the temperature change instantly. It wasn’t much warmer, exactly, but it was insulated from the biting wind, which had been turning Lorne’s soaking wet clothes into popsicles.

He peered back at Rodney to see him tuck the tarp closed and zip up the tent. Rodney turned to him, and Lorne could see worry in the scientist’s eyes as Rodney scanned him over. “I’m going to need you to roll over to your right a bit, Major,” he finally said. “I need room to lay our bags out.” Lorne just nodded tiredly and heaved himself over, too exhausted to even watch Rodney at work.

He heard crinkling, and vaguely guessed that Rodney was pulling out the Mylar insulated blankets, as well as their sleeping bags. He listened absently to the sound of zippers zipping, and thought he might have dozed off for a second, because the next thing he noticed was the feeling of Rodney’s fingers against his chest as he nimbly undid the various snaps and buttons on Lorne’s soaking wet uniform.

“Wha—” was all he got out before Rodney started in again with his nattering.

“No, before you ask, I’m not groping you. We have to get you out of these wet clothes. I’m pretty sure you’re going, if not already, hypothermic. I found some dry clothes in your bag. And really, Major—aren’t you a little old for Spongebob boxers? As soon as you’re out of those sopping, portable ice cubes, you’ll feel quite a bit better. Then, we can get you into the bag and bury you under the other insulated blanket. I used the first one on the floor of the tent; figured it would do no good to put a hypothermic body on top of a snow bank with no protection. Then I’ll crack open some of those chemical hand warmers we have, and next thing you know, Carson will be poking you with needles and heaping dozens of blankets on top of you.”

Lorne just stared at the ceiling of the tent, a loopy smile on his face. “You really don’t breathe, do you?”

Rodney glared, but continued tugging off Lorne’s clothes. “I’d think, Major, that you’d show a bit more appreciation for the person who’s trying to save your life. I’ll have you know—”

Lorne reached out and banged his arm into Rodney’s elbow. He adjusted, pulling his arm down so that his hand was on Rodney’s forearm. “I do appreciate what you’re doing, McKay,” he said quietly. “I’d still be facedown in that stream if you hadn’t followed me down that hill and dragged my ass out of the water. You’re a good guy.” He awkwardly patted Rodney’s arm. “You just talk more than I’m used to.”

Rodney hmphed, but after a moment, he gave a couple of pats back to Lorne’s arm, then plucked it up to pull his wet shirt off of that arm. He set it back down and grabbed the other, more gently than Lorne expected. Rodney then pulled the shirt up and over, carefully lifting and setting down Lorne’s head. Though he was shirtless, Lorne actually thought he might be a bit warmer already. That wetness had clung to his flesh, emphasizing how uncomfortable he really was.

Rodney moved all the way down to his boots, untying them and tugging them off, peeling his socks off cautiously. When no movement was forthcoming after that, Lorne lifted his head and saw Rodney staring at his feet. “What’re you doing?”

A narrowing of the eyes was Rodney’s first response, followed by, “I’m inspecting your toes for signs of frostbite. Luckily, I don’t see any yet. Hopefully, all we’ll have to deal with is your hypothermia. Now lie back; I have to get your pants off.” Lorne snickered, and Rodney rolled his eyes again, but Lorne could see the twitch at the corner of his lips.

Rodney efficiently stripped off Lorne’s BDUs and boxers and shot a worried look at his charge as Lorne began to shiver almost immediately. He rooted through his own pack until he found his favorite tee shirt, and then used it to pat Lorne dry, recalling somewhere that one wasn’t supposed to rub hypothermia victims; something about diverting blood from the internal organs that were fighting to retain their heat.

Once he had Lorne relatively dry, he began working in reverse, pulling dry boxers and pants up Lorne’s positively frigid body. He dug out his own extra socks and doubled up on Lorne’s feet, then put his own long sleeved shirt onto the Major, rather than the short sleeved shirt of Lorne’s that he’d first considered. He got Lorne over to the sleeping bag and into it through a series of rolls, tugs, bitching, and ordering.

The shivers had increased to tremors by that time, and Rodney worked as fast as he could to throw the blanket over the bag and retrieve the chemical hand warmers. Tossing the hand warmers up by Lorne’s head, he shucked out of most of his own damp clothing and slithered into the second sleeping bag he’d zipped onto Lorne’s.

“All right, Major,” he said, reaching for the warmers. “I’m not only in the sleeping bag with you to try to warm you up, but I have chemical hand warmers, and I’m going to put them in some pretty interesting places. I don’t want to hear one single comment out of you, understand?”

“S’fine,” Lorne slurred. “Too fucked up to care.” Rodney frowned, but tucked a warmer under each of Lorne’s armpits, and then reached down his waistband and stuffed one in the vee of Lorne’s legs. Lorne hissed at the sudden heat, and his tremors increased. “’S hot,” he moaned.

“No, it’s not,” Rodney answered, forcing Lorne’s legs closed. “You’re just ridiculously cold. Now come here and shut up. I have to try to contact Sheppard.” Lorne tried to shift closer, but in the end, it was Rodney who tucked Lorne’s head up under his chin, pulling the other man’s back firmly against his chest and tangling their legs together. Once they were situated, Rodney reached up with the hand not trapped under Lorne’s head, and tapped his comm.

“Sheppard, this is McKay.”

“Rodney?” John’s voice was like warm chocolate as it rolled through Rodney’s body. “Are you all right? I’ve been trying to get ahold of you for nearly an hour!” The worry in his voice made Rodney smile.

“I’m fine, Colonel,” he reassured him. “However, Lorne isn’t. Just before the storm kicked up, he did a graceful belly flop off of a weakened bank, and ended up face first in a creek. He may have a concussion, though his pupils weren’t blown and he seems to be responding well. And I think he might have cracked a rib. Nonetheless, he spent an inordinately long time in the creek until I got down the bank. He was soaked through, which was less than pleasant in this weather.”

“Was?” John asked.

“I’ve got a shelter built. I stripped him down, and put him in dry clothes. We’re under some sleeping bags now. I’m trying to get his body temperature up. I’m pretty sure he’s hypothermic at this point.”

“So,” John drawled. “Stripping him down, snuggling under sleeping bags in a cozy tent. Should I be jealous, Rodney?”

Rodney snorted. “Of course. I’m sure I’m just Major Lorne’s type.”

John’s voice lowered. “You’re my type, that’s all that matters.” Rodney felt another rush of warmth. “We’re almost to the ‘jumper, the snowstorm is holding us back a bit, but when we get to it, we’ll fly straight out to you. We should be there in less than an hour.”

“That’s fine. We’ll be here,” Rodney responded. “Unless I get the urge to run off looking for cantina girls and some good tequila.”

John laughed. “Stay safe, McKay. Sheppard out.”

Rodney tapped his comm connection off and pulled his arm back under the sleeping bag, wrapping it around Lorne’s waist. “Sheppard says he and Parrish will be here in less than an hour, Major. We’ll get you in the ‘jumper, warmed up, and back to Carson.”

“Mmm,” Lorne replied.

“So, what were you and Parrish fighting about, anyway?” Rodney had been curious all day. Their trip to the planet had been two-fold. On a previous mission, Lorne and Parrish had located a cold-weather plant that Parrish was sure had healing properties. His tests in the lab had agreed with his theory, and Beckett had sent him back to get more. Lorne had found strange energy readings on their first trip, and upon the report of that, McKay insisted on joining them to investigate. So, the two scientists and their respective soldiers arranged to go back to the planet together.

While he and John had been in the pilot and co-pilot seats, Lorne and Parrish were in the back compartment having a whispered argument. Not too long after, Parrish had stormed up to the front of the puddlejumper and thrown himself into the seat, ignoring everyone. Once they’d gotten on planet, Rodney had picked up the energy signal in the opposite direction of the cold-weather plant, and Parrish had jumped on the idea of splitting up. Everyone was surprised when he asked John to accompany him to the plant. Well, John and Rodney were surprised. Lorne had just looked hurt, before pulling on his Major mask and agreeing.

Rodney, being a naturally nervous person, had taken one look at the snow on the ground and the grey sky, and had gone back into the Puddlejumper to pull two of their survival packs. Never had he been more grateful for his paranoia.

“Major?” he asked again, wondering if the other man had fallen asleep. “What were—”

“He’s mad at me,” Lorne broke in softly.

“What’d you do?” Rodney said with a smirk.

“I won’t tell.”

Rodney frowned. “Won’t tell what?”

“Tell,” Lorne repeated, his voice sounding muzzy.

“Tell what, Major?”

“Tell. I won’t tell. And you can’t ask. Nobody c’n ask.” Rodney just lay, thunderstruck, for a moment. Lorne and…Parrish? Well, he mentally shrugged. Not really so different from what he had with John. “’M sorry,” Lorne continued softly. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“Hurt me?” Rodney asked, a bit confused. “How does keeping your big, gay love affair quiet hurt me?”

“Please, David. I’m sorry.” Lorne pushed back into Rodney, his head flailing back as though he were trying to get face to face. “I know how impor’nt this is to you, and it’s impor’nt to me, too. I’m just…it’s scary,” he ended in a whisper.

“Er, Major?” Rodney ventured uncomfortably. “I’m not Dav-Parrish. I’m McKay. Dr. Rodney McKay.”

“I know it’s scary for you, too,” Lorne spoke over him. “But, you’re a scientist. You’re not military. They can’t tell you who t’love. And if they tried, if they tried t’send you home, McKay wouldn’t let’m. He may be a gigantic pain’n the ass, but he’s not a bigot. And he’s loyal. He wouldn’t send one o’ his people away ‘cause they’re gay.”

Rodney couldn’t decide whether to be offended for being called a gigantic pain in the ass, or to be pleased for being called loyal. He settled for saying nothing. Lorne’s babbling meant he’d headed into the delirium portion of the hypothermia. Anything Rodney said wouldn’t be heard, or would be incorporated into Lorne’s confused worldview.

“But I’m lilitarmy…mlilitarny…’M a soldier. Sheppard’s a good commander, best I’ve had. Bu’ he’s mlili…a soldier, too. He’s got to report me. ‘S his job.” Lorne’s hand scrabbled around, frantically trying to grasp Rodney’s, until Rodney just moved his hand under Lorne’s. He could feel Lorne trying to close his fingers around his hand; it took considerably more time to do so than it should have.

“’M sorry, David.” Lorne’s voice was faint, and Rodney hoped that sleep was something that was allowable in a patient with hypothermia, because he had no idea how to keep Lorne awake if the Major wasn’t even coherent enough to realize that he wasn’t Parrish. He didn’t know how long they’d been lying there, wrapped around each other, when Rodney’s earpiece clicked.

“Rodney? We’re here,” John said in his ear. “We’re right outside your shelter. The door’s down, and Parrish has a nice, cozy bed made up for the Major. You want to bring him on out, or you need help?”

Rodney reached up and touched his earpiece to respond. “I can’t bring him out alone, Colonel. And I’m afraid to get him vertical and walking, anyway. He could go into cardiac arrest if the cold blood from his arms and legs hits his heart. I’ll need you to bring a gurney out; I think there’s a collapsible one in the back storage cupboard. We’ll need to be very careful.”

“Understood,” John replied, his tone turning serious. “I’ll have Parrish get the gurney. I’ll come out and clear the snow off your tarp and open up a straightaway to the ‘jumper ramp.”

“Good idea,” Rodney replied. “I’ll just be getting dressed.”

John snorted. “Oh, don’t get dressed on my account, McKay. Besides, he might need someone to snuggle with him when he’s in here, too. Might as well be you, since you’re already half naked, you hussy.”

Rodney could hear the grin. “Ha, ha, Colonel. You ever think about taking that comic routine on the road? Anyway, I think the Major would rather have Parrish snuggling down with him than me.”

Silence greeted his statement. Then, “That so? Hmm. Well, I’ll tell him to start stripping.”

Rodney thumbed the comm off and wiggled out from under Lorne. He quickly gathered up their wet clothes and stuffed them into Lorne’s bag, making a point of taking out the short-sleeved shirt beforehand, so he’d have something to wear also. He’d pulled off the insulated blanket and unzipped the top half of the sleeping bag to have unfettered access to Lorne when John made it through the snow-covered tarp.

John poked his head into the tent and grinned at the sight of Rodney in just his boxers. “You trying to tempt me into staying here?”

Rodney shot him a disgruntled look and pulled the t-shirt over his head. “Throw my pants to me. They’re in that bag next to you,” he ordered. John, still smirking, did as he was asked. Rodney was zipping his fly closed when Parrish poked his head inside.

“Is he okay? Can we move him? Can I see him?” John hid a grin as he scooted to the side a bit to let Parrish see Lorne. “Wow, there’s not a lot of room in there,” Parrish said, the worry on his face fading a bit as he caught a glimpse of the Major.

“And there’s even less now that you’ve stuck your head in here,” Rodney sniped back. “You have the collapsible gurney?” Parrish pushed it into the tent, and John snagged it. He fiddled with it for a few moments, grumbling under his breath, and then with a huge grin snapped it open.

Rodney rolled his eyes. “Yes, yes, you’ve done it. Practically genius material. Set it down!” He snapped his fingers in John’s general direction, and John placed the gurney next to Lorne’s back. “Good,” Rodney nodded. “Now we have to roll him over carefully onto it.” Gingerly, always aware that sudden or extreme movement could trigger a potential heart attack, the two men worked to move Lorne onto the gurney.

“All right,” John huffed. “Got him. You ready to pick him up?”

“Again,” Rodney grumbled, but bent down to take his end of the gurney. They eased their way out of the tent. The wind blasted them instantly, whirling snow into their eyes. Rodney started shivering immediately, having only his t-shirt on. He could only imagine how damned cold it must have been for Lorne, in his soaking wet uniform. As John and Rodney carried Lorne into the ‘jumper, Parrish snatched up their remaining packs and hurried in after them, his eyes on Lorne’s figure the whole way.

John moved up to the pilot’s chair and immediately closed the ramp. “You two able to handle it back there?” he called out. “Can I head back to the ‘gate?”

“Yes, yes, we’re not totally incompetent, Colonel,” Rodney retorted. “Just get us back to Atlantis.”

John smirked and turned back to his controls. “Sure thing, Rodney. Heading for orbit.”

_______________________________________________________________

“So, how’s the patient today?” John poked his head into the curtained-off area around Lorne’s infirmary bed. Lorne attempted to sit up straight, and winced as the movement shifted his cracked ribs. John waved him off, and he gratefully sank back down into the pillows.

“Fine, sir,” he replied, with a slight smile. “Thanks for getting me out of there.”

“Oh, I just flew the ‘jumper.” John shrugged the thanks off. “The real hero is Rodney. If you don’t believe me, just ask him.”

Lorne chuckled a bit, wincing again as he did so. “Yeah, Dr. Beckett came in this morning complaining about McKay’s storytelling. Apparently, he’s now saved me from man-eating polar bears and brought me back from the dead with the Breath of Life.”

John just shook his head wryly and leaned on the bed next to Lorne’s. “He does get into his stories.”

“The thing is, sir,” Lorne said, “is that he really did save my life. The things he did meant the difference between life and death for me.”

“Do you really want to tell him that?” John replied, raising an eyebrow.

“Not so much, no,” Lorne admitted with a snort. “I mean, I’m grateful and all, but he’s damn near insufferable now.”

“Exactly.” John pointed with a slender index finger. “The trick is, make him feel thanked without ever actually thanking him. Give him some chocolate, maybe some coffee. He really likes those strawberry powerbars. Or, you could just show up every now and then and offer to turn things on for him.” John shrugged. “He’s really pretty easy. Food or tech. Either will do.”

“Sounds like you know him pretty well, sir,” Lorne smiled.

“Yeah, well, Rodney’s done more than his share of saving my ass in the last couple of years.” There was a pause in which John just stared at Lorne with an inscrutable look.

“What?” Lorne finally asked, a bit uncomfortable.

“So, I hear you’ve got a scientist you’ve gotten pretty close with, too.”

Lorne’s face lost its color almost immediately. Then, he sighed and closed his eyes. “I thought maybe I dreamed telling McKay all of that,” he said softly. He opened his eyes, but refused to make contact with John’s gaze. “I also didn’t think he’d report me,” he added with a trace of bitterness.

“Oh, he didn’t report you, Lorne,” John assured him. “He warned me.”

Lorne snorted. “That’s so much better, thanks. He didn’t rat me out; he just made sure you knew you had a queer under your command. What? Wanted to make sure I didn’t stare at your ass?”

John smirked, though Lorne wasn’t looking to see. “Actually, he warned me so that I could protect you. And Parrish. And, while I’m sure he doesn’t want you staring at my ass, that’s out of jealousy rather than disgust.” Lorne’s gaze shot up to meet John’s. His eyes narrowed, and he searched John’s face for any trace of a lie. John reduced his smirk to a simple smile.

“You’re not alone, Lorne,” he said softly. “And you don’t have to be afraid. No, you aren’t able to shout from the rooftops that you’re in love with an amazing person. Neither am I. That doesn’t make it any less true. Or any less real. I don’t know if we’ll ever be able to be open about it; not and keep our jobs. I do know that sometimes, even one other person knowing is enough. I’m willing to be that person for you, Lorne. And if one isn’t enough, so is Rodney. And Carson. And Elizabeth. Even Teyla and Ronon.”

At Lorne’s sudden look of fear, John sighed. “No, we didn’t tell them. But they know about Rodney and me. Have from the beginning. Does it look like we’re treated any differently?” Lorne shook his head slowly. “I recently had a very…uncomfortable heart to heart talk with Teyla, in which I said absolutely nothing,” he recalled wryly. “But she knew what I meant anyway. I realized that I have family here, not just friends. Family that I can trust.”

He cocked his head and crossed his arms. “I trust you, Lorne. And I can see you in the family. The question is, can you? Do you trust me? Trust us?” He pushed up off of the bed, and his customary smirk was back. “Well, it’s dinnertime, and there’s a fine selection of mystery meats calling my name. You think on what I said, Lorne, and you get back to me when you’re ready.”

And with that, he was gone. Lorne lay back on the bed and stared at the ceiling, his mind whirring. Yesterday, he was alone and scared, and had nearly lost David forever. Today, there was a bright, new world waiting for him. And maybe…a family.


End file.
